Have you flexed a bicep in front of the mirror lately? Well, there are more important reasons for hold on to your muscle as you age that extend beyond looking good in a t-shirt and avoiding those fluffy bat wings. Studies show that the loss of this metabolically active muscle tissue over decades is associated with chronic health conditions, including insulin resistance, diabetes, and heart disease, as well as frailty, fatigue, and falls. The scientific term for age-related skeletal muscle and strength loss is sarcopenia; usually starts at one of 40.
Fortunately, sarcopenia can be prevented and even reversed in both older people and middle-aged people who are just beginning to notice a loss of muscle mass. strength training It’s obviously a big part of the solution, but lifting weights won’t build muscle without the proper fuel. Adopting certain key eating habits will fuel your workouts and help your resistance training build new muscle as you age.
According to a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Sports Chiropractor Matt Tanneberg, MD, CSCSregaining muscle with exercise requires three main habits: consume enough calories, consume enough quality proteinand get those nutrients throughout the day and especially before and after workouts.
“Muscle growth is directly related to nutrition and is negatively affected when your nutrition doesn’t complement your body properly,” Tanneberg said. Eat this, not that!
To effectively rebuild muscle, try making the following eating habits another rep in your strength training routine.
People trying to get in shape often restrict the number of calories they eat. However, this can backfire if you’re looking to add muscle because you need fuel to power endurance exercise and stimulate muscle growth. Don’t starve or defraud yourself with any of the three macronutrients.
“It’s important to have adequate calories in your diet, and indeed a caloric surplus, if you’re looking to gain muscle weight,” he says. Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSDmember of our board of medical experts who also served as a sports dietician for the Dallas Cowboys.
While many may be under the impression that protein alone is the key to building muscle, experts say a well-balanced meal is actually a more reliable recipe for success and recommend diversifying your diet.
“While protein is fuel for your muscles, you still need to eat a balanced diet with enough carbohydrates and fats to optimize your nutrition for muscle growth,” says Tanneberg.
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“Most people eat most of their protein at dinner, but research suggests it’s easier to build muscle tissue when protein intake is spread out throughout the day,” he says. Elizabeth Ward, MS, RDNan award-winning nutrition communicator, recipe developer, writer, and co-author of The Menopause Diet Plan, A Natural Guide to Hormones, Health, and Happiness.
Ward recommends consuming between 1.2 and 1.6 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight every day. So for a person who weighs 160 pounds, this would equate to about 88 to 117 grams of protein.
“Lean animal foods, such as eggs, lean beef, poultry, and seafood, as well as low-fat dairy products, such as cottage cheese, milk, and Greek yogurt, are excellent sources of complete protein.” . [This] That means they contain all the amino acids your body needs to build muscle,” says Ward. “Also, animal foods are rich in the amino acid leucine, which triggers the production of muscle cells.”
Plants also contain proteins that are used to build muscle. Soy foods, such as tofu, edamame, and unsweetened soy milk, are foods that, like animal foods, provide complete protein. Other plant-based protein foods include beans, such as chickpeas and black beans, quinoa, lentils, peanuts, almonds, pistachios, and walnuts.
Carbohydrates, such as whole grains and legumes, as well as some dairy, fruits, and vegetables, are important for muscle growth. As the body’s preferred energy source, carbohydrates They provide a variety of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. In addition, carbohydrates indulge proteins.
“When you restrict carbohydrates from your diet, you deplete glycogen, or stored sugars, in your body for energy,” he explains. Juana Bordeaux, DR. “Carb restriction will cause muscle loss. Without carbs for energy, it means your body has to start breaking down its own muscle for energy.”
Nutrient timing plays an important role in optimizing your muscle-building efforts.
“You should always eat a pre-workout snack or meal about an hour before you start resistance training. It should include sufficient amounts of carbohydrates, your body’s main source of energy,” says Tanneberg. “After training is when you should consume more protein to replenish muscles that are in the healing phase.”
“Ideally, drink a whey protein shake or equivalent protein source 15-30 minutes after you exercise,” Tanneberg continues. “Chocolate milk is great post-workout because it has the perfect balance of carbs, fat, and protein for muscle recovery.”
